Multiple custody levels, including close-custody female death row · Prison for Women (statewide women's reception center) · ADOC

Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women

Wetumpka, Elmore County, Alabama

Visiting schedules change without notice. Always call before traveling.

Call Visiting Office: (334) 567-4369 Info last verified: June 2026

Alabama's primary state prison for women, in Wetumpka. It is the statewide women's reception center and houses Alabama's female death row, along with women at other custody levels.

Statewide rules that apply at every Alabama state prison

These rules are set by ADOC and apply at every unit. The full list — including all permitted and prohibited items and the approval process — is in Visiting in Alabama.

Dress code

No tan clothing or anything that looks tan, and no scrub-style clothing — both resemble what inmates wear (Alabama inmates wear white, and minimum-custody clothing is tan or white).
Dresses, skirts, and pants must be no shorter than three inches above the knee (including any slit), and trousers must be at least ankle-length; no shorts, stretch pants, or tight, sheer, or see-through clothing.
No sundresses or sleeveless tops — blouses and shirts must cover the waist and chest — and a complete set of undergarments is required.
No hats, caps, scarves, or headbands (religious headwear needs advance written approval); no sunglasses unless prescribed and no smart glasses; jewelry limited to a wedding set and simple stud earrings; no house, shower, or beach shoes.

ID: Every adult visitor must be on the inmate's approved list (built with Form 303-A) and show a government-issued photo ID — a driver's license, state ID, military ID, or immigration ID. An inmate may have up to eight approved adult visitors at a time.
What to bring: Each visitor may bring up to $30 (in change or on a $30 debit card) for the vending machines, plus a photo ID and car keys, in a clear plastic bag — and nothing else. Phones and electronics, purses and bags, tobacco, and weapons are prohibited; parents may bring a few baby items.
Scheduling: There is no statewide schedule and ADOC does not post visiting hours online, so confirm days and hours with the specific prison. Under the 2025 rules, all visits must be pre-scheduled and approved, and a newly arrived inmate may face up to a 60-day wait before visits can begin.

Full statewide rules: Visiting in Alabama

Overview

Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women, in Wetumpka, is Alabama’s primary state prison for women. It is the statewide women’s reception center — women entering the Alabama prison system are processed and classified here first — and it houses Alabama’s female death row (classified as close custody), along with women at medium and minimum custody levels. ADOC also operates a smaller women’s work-release facility (the Montgomery Women’s Facility), so Tutwiler is the primary, not the only, ADOC facility that holds women. The prison opened in 1942 and is named for Julia Tutwiler, an Alabama educator and prison-reform advocate. ADOC’s facility page lists a population of about 880.

What Makes Tutwiler Different

It is the statewide women’s reception center, so a newly sentenced woman is processed here first and may be transferred afterward.
It houses Alabama’s female death row, classified as close custody.
It holds special populations, including a medical infirmary, a mental-health unit, and housing for pregnant and for elderly or infirm women.
A separate, smaller women’s facility exists (the Montgomery Women’s Facility, a work-release and community center), so confirm which facility holds the person.

Visiting

The statewide ADOC rules above — the approved visitor list, the no-tan dress code, ID, and the $30 vending limit — apply at Tutwiler. The facility’s own arrangements:

The full approval process is in Visiting in Alabama.

Getting There and Parking

The prison is on US Highway 231 North in Wetumpka, north of Montgomery in Elmore County.

Distances are approximate, based on map routing. Visitor parking is on site.

Nearby Services

Wetumpka has nearby restaurants, and Montgomery (about 20 miles south) has the nearest larger cluster of hotels and services. The nearest hospital emergency room is Elmore Community Hospital in Wetumpka, in the same town as the prison; larger hospitals are in Montgomery.

Mail

Personal mail does not go to the prison. Since late 2025, ADOC routes personal letters, cards, and photos to an off-site scanning center in San Antonio, Texas, addressed with the person’s name and AIS number; the person receives the mail as images on a tablet. Legal mail and packages still go to the facility. Full addressing details are in Mail & Packages.

A Note on History

Tutwiler was the subject of a U.S. Department of Justice investigation in the 2010s. In a January 2014 findings letter, the DOJ concluded that Alabama had failed to protect women at Tutwiler from staff sexual abuse and harassment, in violation of the Eighth Amendment. Alabama entered a 2015 settlement requiring reforms — including a surveillance-camera system, independent investigations, a PREA compliance manager, and an outside monitor. In 2024, after findings of compliance, a federal court terminated most of the settlement’s provisions, leaving a few focused on staffing. This history is documented in the sources cited above.

Learn More

For detailed information about visiting and communicating with someone at an Alabama state prison:

Visiting in Alabama — the approved list, dress code, and scheduling
Mail & Packages — the San Antonio scanning address and what still goes to the facility
Phone & Video Calls — ICSolutions calls, messaging, and video
Sending Money — Access Corrections and the trust account
Medical & Mental Health — the co-pay and how to raise a concern
Transfers & Finding Someone — reception centers and the inmate search

Sources

This page is compiled from the following publicly available sources. Policies change without notice — confirm current details with the facility before relying on them.